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Thread: Culver-Style Powder Measure Conversions

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Culver-Style Powder Measure Conversions

    Over 50 years ago Homer Culver developed a click type micrometer conversion for the Lyman 55 Powder Measure. There is some evidence that he may have even developed it for the old all cast iron Model 5 measure which used a rotor insert of the same diameter.

    This conversion became so popular, especially with the benchrest crowd, that at least three other people made similar conversions, Neil Jones, Bob Dodd, and Lester Bruno. There may have been others, but I have more-or-less confirmed these three. Once Harrell started building his measures on the same principle but with purpose built bodies, the conversions became somewhat obsolete and AFAIK none of them are in current production.

    Now for the reason for this post... I would like to see pix or get definite descriptions of the various similar but different inserts/conversions so I can identify which ones came from whom. I was able to purchase one such, but other than the numbers for the measurement markings, so I don't know whose work it was. Anybody who can shed any light on this will be much appreciated. Oh yeah, one of the guys building conversions apparently painted the Lyman 5 bodies a rather distinctive metallic blue.

    TIA ~ Froggie

    PS I'll try to attach a picture of it when I trip over it again.
    Last edited by Green Frog; 09-13-2018 at 10:03 PM. Reason: Add a fact and correct grammar.
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  2. #2
    Boolit Bub
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    The handle was gray but broken in freight.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Unbelievable, I went down and pulled it right out of the pile! What are the odds? When I got it, the conversion rotor was in an old orange Model 55 body, but I think it looks good in an old black cast iron Model 5, don’t you?

    Froggie
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails E1C8EA97-10D0-4456-8D8C-2E1724AA8148.jpg   29D3DD2E-1219-4EF9-9877-8A342F209293.jpg   5AE0B927-392F-4306-9045-28F9B8F4723A.jpg  
    "It aint easy being green!"

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Wow, that was quick, Negster. Also, it reminds me that I had heard of a version by Nagy but had forgotten about it completely. Thank you.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Going back through some other stuff I had gotten I found an old posting from jan2kbenz on the ARTCA Forum showing the same type device having been built by MCRW, only using a stainless steel rotor instead of brass. Along with the JJ Nagy version shown by Negster, that makes at least 5 people other than Homer Culver himself who made these conversions, all before Harrell came along and made conversions sort of obsolete with his built-from-scratch models.

    The hunt continues... talley ho!

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Here is an early Culver

    Attachment 227191
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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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